Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1887-11-26
DAILY HERALD.
GEORGE WESTFALL.
Authentic Account OF HIS
EARLY History.
HIS ILL.MATCHED MARRIAGE.
How He Was Banished From Home
on Account of His Villain
Gus Disposition.

line nenulsu u iulC vi oOoi 30 'Soe
fall. who on Sunday last attempted to
murder his 3-year-old boy by beating
him on the head with stick, is still
fresh in the minds Of all readers OF
the HERALD. In the course of con-
versation yesterday with Mr.. A. Phil
lips, the well-known excursion agent,
that gentleman stated that he knew
Westfall's past history, and invited
the HERALD man to come over to his
Office on Main street and hear recital
of the facts connected with the brute's
past career.
"Well," said Mr.. Phillips at his
sanctum, 81 suppose you would like
to have all the details connected
with my acquaintance with him
The story dates back to
twelve wears ago, when l first
saw him at Sandlake, Rensselaer,
county, New York State. That was
his home and niue also. His father
l had known f.r over thirty years
he was well-to-do farmer and gen.
orally respected in the community in
which he lived. In the family besides
George, there was another brother
named William and two girls. Will
liam is now living in Albany, N. Y.
He is a man of considerable means
and has retired from business. OF the
two girls, one is married to Ryan
Conkling and resides at Morris, Ill.
The other is now Mrs. Leonard
Weatherwax and lives near the home
place at Sandlake. All of the mem
bers of the family are OF good social
standing and of reputed wealth. The
circumstances under which I met
George were rather peculiar. l had
been away from Sandlake for some
time, and on my return was sitting in
a store, the property of my people. A
stranger came in during the first day
of nv return and made few pur-
chases. Not recognizing his face, l
asked someone who he was. That is
George Westlake,' was the reply. l
was quite astonished, for had never
heard of there being any others in the
family besides William and the two
girls. From information l then re-
ceived it appears that George had
been in his youth of very ugly dis
position, and was regarded as being
only half-witted. An unusually
stormy quarrel with his father
one day resulted in his being driven
away from the house-he was then in
his teens-and from that time he had
never been heard of until few weeks
before nv return to the village-that
was in 1875 and George was then
about 43 years of age. He had strolled
in home one morning and made him
self known, and announced his inten-
ton of residing there once more.
From that time on, during period Of
eight years l saw him frequently, and
during that period he always had the
reputation among the residents of
being man who was scarcely
safe to be about, as his disposition
was very rebellious and quarrelsome
one. He married after his return,
and the union was striking one, in
asmuch as he consorted with one who
also had the reputation of being half
witted-a Fanny Lewis-and with her
he lived in a small cottage on the out
skirts of the village, supporting him
self and family by occasionally doing
a days work here and there.
During this period his father
who, at the time of banishing
him from home had struck his
name out of his will altogether, was
induced by William Georges brother,
to acknowledge him again, and when
Mr.. Westfall, senior, died in 1883 it
was found that he had left George a
legacy of $1,000. On receipt OF this,
George packed his worldly goods and
chattels together and started for Ore
gon, and f ON that date heard moth
ing of him until about four or
five weeks ago. Then was as
tonished by his appearance in this
Office; he appeared to be in destitute
circumstances, told me that his wife
was dead and that he wanted to go
back East and take his children to his
mother in-law. / was opposed to his
doing that, as l knew that she was
unable to support them and counselled
him to obtain employment here. |
saw him off and on afterwards and
was startled, with the rest OF the com
munity, when read the details OF his
revolving crime in Mondays papers.
always thought that he wasa man
whom it would have been we'll
to put under some sort of control as
from the earliest moments Of his life
it was acknowledged that he was dam
gerous and excitable and liable in a
moment of frenzy, to commit any
crime, even murder.
"And there, you have the story"
said Mr.. Phillips. 81 had intended to
give it to the authorities, hut / have
no doubt that it will reach them
through the medium of your columns
in the morning."